1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a decorative doorway for use on a residential home or other type of building, or with an outdoor fence.
2. Description of the Related Art
Security doors have been used for a number of years to provide additional security for a home, beyond that provided by a conventional door. These doors typically comprise a cage-door-like structure of wrought iron or other suitable metal, hung from the doorway in front of a standard wood or steel xe2x80x9cpanelxe2x80x9d type door. While attempts have been made to enhance the attractiveness of these security doors by adding decor to the bars making up the cage, they nonetheless retain a xe2x80x9ctacked-onxe2x80x9d appearance, having been designed without regard to the look of the surrounding structure of the home or building to which they are affixed. Furthermore, an observer can easily identify these security doors, as they have a heavy, rectilinear appearance which limits the extent to which the door can blend into the design of the surrounding structure.
Accordingly, there is a need for a security door which has an aesthetically pleasing design that is not easily recognized by an observer as a security device.
One aspect of the present invention is a doorway which is of sufficiently strong construction to provide the needed security, but which has an aesthetically pleasing design.
Another aspect of the present invention is a security doorway with a door which is not easily identified as a security door by a nearby observer.
An aesthetic security doorway is made up of a door with a support structure and a number of crossbars which are shaped and arranged to take on an aesthetically pleasing design, and a doorframe surrounding the door with ornamentation that continues the design of the door onto the doorframe so as to form a unitary decorative image. The crossbars and ornamentation can convey a variety of suitable design themes, such as palm tree branches and fronds, or vines and leaves.
More generally, the aesthetic security doorway invention is useful for concealing and lending decor to security barriers of various types employed to enclose a structure or land.
In accordance with one embodiment, a decorative security door system comprises a door, which in turn comprises a generally planar support structure, and a plurality of cross members connected to the support structure. The cross members are shaped and arranged to form an aesthetically pleasing design. The decorative security door system further comprises a doorframe surrounding the door, and the doorframe has ornamentation which continues and complements the design formed by the cross members. The door is slidably received in the doorframe.
In accordance with another embodiment, a protective barrier system comprises a barrier, which in turn comprises a generally planar support frame and a plurality of cross pieces connected to the support frame. The cross pieces are shaped and arranged to form an aesthetically pleasing design. The protective barrier system further comprises a barrier frame surrounding the barrier. The barrier frame has decorative elements which extend the design formed by the cross pieces onto the barrier frame. The barrier is slidably received in the barrier frame.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method for concealing a security door comprises mounting the door in a doorframe so as to be slidable therein, attaching a plurality of cross members to the door, arranging the cross members to form a decorative design, and providing ornamentation on the doorframe, so that the ornamentation continues the design formed by the cross members.
In accordance with another embodiment, a decorative security door system comprises a door, which in turn comprises a generally planar support structure and a plurality of cross members connected to the support structure. The cross members are shaped and arranged to form a first portion of an image. The decorative security door system further comprises a doorframe surrounding the door. The doorframe has ornamentation which forms a second portion of the image, so that the perimeter of the door is obscured by the image. The door is slidably received in the doorframe.
In accordance with another embodiment, a decorative security door system comprises a door, which in turn comprises a generally planar support structure, and a plurality of cross members connected to the support structure. The decorative security door system further comprises a wall surrounding the door. The wall has ornamentation, and the cross members and the ornamentation form an image which tends to conceal the shape of the door. The door is slidably received in the wall.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method for concealing a security door comprises mounting the door in a doorframe so as to be slidable therein, attaching a plurality of cross members to the door, arranging the cross members to form a first portion of an image, and forming a second portion of the image by applying ornamentation to the doorframe, so that the image tends to conceal the overall shape of the door.